Info on Frances Ward, w/o William Ward married in Mobile, Al.

Question

Searching for death and burial info on my great grandmother, Frances Ward (was a widow when she married my gg father at age 40).  Born around 1830. Shows on the 1870 census.  Married at St. Patrick's church in Mobile, Al.  Great Granfather was William Ward.  Their children included Frederick Mitchell Ward Sr. who remained in the Mobile (Pritchard) area until his death in 1959.  Search of all US cemeteries doesn't bring up info to match.  His children are (all alive), Frederick Mitchell Ward Jr., Edith Irene and Lucy Elizabeth (1932). (Lucy is shown on one census as Lucille)  2nd wife of my grandfather was Sarah Elizabeth Conaway.  I do not know the name of his first wife but they had several daughters.  One died as an infant and one died tragically as a teen.

Would really appreciate an invite so I can get more info.  Anyone please?  tavegia@bellsouth.net

Diane

Comments

Clarification: Are you sure Frances is his mother?  This Frederick Mitchell Ward was born in 1895 in MS, father William F; mother Emma, later married with the correct children in 1940.   It is unlikely that he is the son of someone b. in 1830. 

There is a Frances Clark living with this family in 1900,  but she is listed as aunt to his father William?  That census says Frances was in age 78 b Feb. 1832 but that would really make her either age 68 or make her birth year 1822??  More confusion. 

U S Census, 1940 Mobile City,  AL

head  Fred M Ward  M 44 MS

wife  Sarah E Ward F 32 AL

daur  Lucile E Ward F 7 AL

dau  Edith I Ward F 2 AL

son  Fred M Ward M 0 AL

 

Fredrick Mitchell Ward

United States, World War One Draft Registration

birth: 14 Mar 1895 Vicksburg,​ Mississippi

draft registration:  Mobile City no 2,​ AL

 

U S Census, 1910 Vicksburg Ward 5, Warren, MS

self  Wm F Ward M 65y MS

son  Frederick Ward  M 13y MS

son  Joe Ward M 9y MS

 

 

U S Census, 1900 ED 121 Beat 1 Vicksburg city Ward 2, Warren, MS

head  Wm F Ward M 53 MS abt May 1847

wife  Emma V Ward F 40 abt Sept 1860 MS

dau  Willie A Ward F 16 LA

son  Louis E Ward M 14 MS

dau  Irena Ward F 12 MS

son  Fredric Ward  M 4 MS

son  Joseph W Ward M 0 MS

aunt  Francis A Clark F 78 TN widow

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You're correct.  I called my mother and she said another Frances was the 2nd or 3rd wife of my g/g grandfather, William J. Ward..    We show another wife, Mary Agnes White as the wife after Emma.

Thank you for this info!!!  We're brand new at this!

Thanks!

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The William Ward that married Emma and Mary White was the William that was born around 1847 in AL, appears in the census as the son of William J and Frances.

Maybe he also had a wife named Frances, but his mother appears to be Frances as well, it appears she was born in Indiana in the late 1820's and his father William was born early 1820's in TN.

You might want to make a chart of these generations! just to keep the Williams and Freds straight (and their spouses too!). Good Luck.

 

U S Census, 1850 Carroll county, Carroll, MS

William Ward M 31 TN

Francis Ward F 23 IN

William Ward M 3 MS

George Ward M 0 MS

 

U S Census, 1870 Hancock, Shieldsborough, MS

W J Ward , M, 50y, TN

Frances Ward, F, 40y, IN

A A Ward, F, 14y, MS

Ella Ward, F, 12y, MS

Mary Ward, F, 10y, TS

 

U S Census, 1880 Saint Louis, Hancock, MS

self William Ward M 60 TN

wife Frances Ward F 53 IN

 

U S Census, 1920 Precinct 30 Mobile City 7 Prof, Mobile, AL

self William F Ward M 74y MS

wife Mary Ward F 46y AL

Ragland W White M 24y AL

Henry C White M 16y AL

John M White M 12y AL

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AWESOME!!!  

 

Thank you so very much!  In just minutes I was able to find Emma's grave and the graves on my grandfather's daughters by his first wife (one killed in an accident as a young teen).  My 80 year old mother is going to be thrilled!  She lives about 1 1/2 hour from the cemetery!  

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You are certainly welcome!

For your research, you might want to try the FREE search tool at familysearch.org  https://familysearch.org/

You can enter name, location (State/Country etc) approx dob etc to search.  Once you find children people in a census, you can go back and enter the names, dob of children or parents etc and find more.

When you are first starting - don't enter exact year of birth, instead, enter a range because the census ages depend on the Month/Year the census was taken and are not always accurate.  For example someone born about 1849- enter 1845 to 1855 to start, then adjust the range as you find individuals.

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Found some info off a Catholic church website that shows Frances was a Bruner, Brunner, or Brunau.  She's also called Francisca on one form.   These are baptisms and marriages of their children.

I'm guessing they are all buried in Rotten Bayou Cemetery because her daughter in law was close friends with the Cuevas family who gave away the 40 acres to local people.  Bodies had to be taken down the bayou by boat for burial.  No one has ever made a list of the families buried at Rotten Bayou.

 

So....... Bruner seems to be the last name we're looking for and hoping to find HER parents who were in Indiana when Frances was born.

Answer 1

Chris, wanted to update you and let you know I was able to find good and provable info to 1562.  Thanks so much for your guidance!!

Comments

Well I'm glad it led to an AHA! moment for you Diane.  Happy Hunting

Chris